Borthwick's parting gift in European Challenge Cup final ends 10-year wait for Bath

A decade of underachievement, strife and changing regimes ended for Bath yesterday as the famous West Country club won the European Challenge Cup.

Steve Borthwick, the newly appointed England captain, arrived at the start of that turbulent and fruitless period and now leaves for pastures new at Saracens having picked up a first piece of silverware in 10 years.

The departure also of fellow international Olly Barkley to Gloucester, whose fabled Kingsholm ground played host to the final, ensured an emotional conclusion to proceedings. Indeed, at least in the short and medium term, the loss of two such key individuals may be more significant than the ending of a losing run in finals.

Bubbling Bath: Captain Steve Borthwick holds up the European Challenge Cup after his Bath team beat Worcester.

Borthwick was named man of the match, partly out of sentiment one suspects, but also because of his decision-making and his domination at the line-out, the key area of the contest.

Barkley, meanwhile, scored 11 of his side's points and was clearly one of the more influential figures on the field.

The emotion of their farewell appearance was obvious at the final whistle. Borthwick looked tearful as he was embraced by his teammates; Barkley, less obviously moist about the eyes, let it pour from his mouth.

"Today was not about rugby for me," Barkley said. "It was about leaving players I love. I will miss them dearly. I will leave them with a lot of love and move on to the new challenge ahead of me. It is quite strange. It still hasn't sunk in that I have played my last game for Bath."

The emotion of it all will have completely bypassed Worcester. Although they were deservedly beaten by a more streetwise side boasting more all-round skills, the Warriors had every right to be angry at the performance of the French referee.

Christophe Berdos, a member of the international panel with Six Nations experience, failed to spot a forward pass in the build-up to the first Bath try and might easily have dispensed three yellow cards in their direction, twice when Bath killed the ball on their own line and most blatantly for a cynical piece of shirt-pulling by hooker Lee Mears.

After an attempted clearance kick by Barkley had been charged down, Shane Drahm booted ahead only to be held back by his jersey. Three points from the resulting penalty scarcely seemed equitable punishment. Mears escaped 10 minutes in the sin bin as referee and touch judge failed to identify the culprit.

Grand finale: Borthwick and team-mate Olly Barkley pose with the trophy at the end of their final match for Bath

Strange one that with Mears just a few yards from both officials wearing a shirt with his number, name and, who knows, his telephone number on the back. It is not as if there were any, never mind many, Mears lookalikes on the pitch. He alone has the shape of an Oxo cube.

"There were a couple of instants when we did not get the rub of the green," Warriors captain Pat Sanderson conceded while taking pains not to sound too disgruntled. "There might have been yellow cards. We have got to manage the referee better."

Mike Ruddock, the Worcester coach, took a similar stance. "Bath were more streetwise than us," he said. "They have learned from their experience of losing a number of finals. They did enjoy some good fortune. There did look like a forward pass in their first try."

Bath had taken a grip of the match in the five minutes prior to half-time during which they scored two excellent tries. They were the dominant force at that stage but with nothing more to show for their territorial advantage than an early Barkley penalty, cancelled out by Drahm.

Matt Banahan created the initial break with flanker Jonny Faamatuainu galloping down the left wing to touch down in the corner.

Worcester, whose support in the 16,500 capacity crowd was the more voluble, could have no complaints, however, about the second Bath try, a prime example of how expansive play can still be possible in horrible wet conditions.

Barkley took out much of the Warriors defence with a splendid long pass to Joe Maddock who cut outside his opposite number before passing inside to the supporting Nick Abendanon.

Worcester fared better after the break but could manage only a consolation try from Thinus Delport in the final minute. Barkley added a drop goal and another penalty before being replaced and handing the kicking role to Butch James.

"It has been a huge effort right from start of the season," said Borthwick. "While I was at the World Cup, my team-mates were running up and down mountains in Wales."

They will be doing so again this autumn but without Borthwick and Barkley.